Opinion Puytf THE BRUNSWICK&BEACON Edward M. Sweatt and Carolyn H. Sweat! Publishers Edward M. Swentt Editor Susan L'sher /Yeir* Editor Terry Pope Staff Writer Johnny Craig Sports Editor Mary Potts Office Manager Cheryl Stanley A Cindy Morris. .Advertising Representatives Tammie Galloway Typesetter Steve Anderson Pressman i.?. n.n... r.v...?/?/<'/!n -?-= Page 4-A Thursday, January 10,1985 No More Passing The Buck? Time Wi!! Te!! County commissioners responded to the expressed wishes of the voting public Monday night when they took steps they hone will tighten operations at the county complex. How well the policies will succeed, only time will tell. They are requiring an accounting of all employees' time, concentrating needed manpower in the planning department and concentrating administrative responsibilities in one of fice, among other changes. (Less understandable is a plan to require, if legally possible, that all county employees reside in the county even though that may not have been a requirement at the time they were hired.) If nothing else, though, the first three changes should improve the flow of communication among department heads, the county manager's office and the commissioners themselves and re-establish the line of command from department head to manager to commissioners. Commissioners also expect to have a much better understanding of the day-to-day operations of county government, both, its successes and frustrations. Still to he recnlvod are several smaller items, such as establishing what changes, if any, will be made in the chain of command which previously passed administrative responsibilities from the county manager to, in his absence, the planning director, then to the finance officer and finally, the county attorney. Meanwhile with the added awareness these changes are expected to produce will come an added duty for commissioners: acting responsibiiy on the basis of what they learn. Practically speaking, for example, tliat could mean dismissing employees whom they find aren't doing their jobs or adding employees in departments that are obviously overtaxed. If need be, squashing rumors about employees that may not fitilif mifflip f\iii f*ii< iirtiii wiiij iiiiidii , uui uii.iv u.i vrv.il. Generally what we should expect to gain is greater accountability at every level ot government, pnrtieularly by the commissioners themselves. From now on, as one county official said Tuesday, passing the huck won't be nearly as easy. National Weather Service Am \ A / I I Pi ys ?n /-VVVUIU ID VVCII L/COCI VCU Brunswick County has known for some time it has a dedicated, conscientious employee in Cecil Logan, emergency management coordinator and fire marshal. We were reminded of it again this week. Monday night Logan reaped praise not only from county commissioners, but from the National Weather Service also?well-deserved praise because he had performed his job very well under stressful conditions, Hurricane Diana. A1 Hinn of the Wilmington office of the National Weather Service called Logan "a gem" while presenting him an award for outstanding services. Through his educational and training efforts for citizens and local officials, Hinn said, Brunswick Countians were in a "high state of readiness" when Hurricane Diana threatened. That preparation, he suggested, was partly responsible for no local deaths being attributed to Diana. Uigan, it must be noted, had suffered a heart attack three weeks before the hurricane while on vacation in Santee, S.C But when Diana's tracks pointed toward North Carolina or Sunday, Sept. 10, he reported to his office. He would have stayed at the command post without a break if other county leaders had not urged him to take occasional rest His motti throughout the strategy sessions of the Hurricane Response Committee and for montlis earlier: "It never hurts to Ix r.vil pi vpni vu. There wort* hitches, of course, but the county hurricam response nkn worked ?"gan's drive and detenmnatioi to put all the pieces together and follow through. laaiaBaaiaiBMunBaiBMgB nni m I Mr KV in V.I iuvr uiuk ir l t IV * I V .IWUv'V IMUt I V/ TUP DDtlMC\*/iri/ADCArnM Siv i^nMii^vii^iip,Ln.nvvii rOii um?Ci ?*v iHAUOTVI N^'HCAtv>lK* I For Awor\4 Winning N*** Covorog* AKKUAL SUISCKtPTIOM tATtt IT MAIl W a%?h Cov>*y 5/3 j 11 tlHrA^'t ?r Nc*f?h C??ol'dO f 3* 5 23 CKn-6* North CO*-O)KV> 10 C*3 800 ( HiH M ???** N Me?i IMrtit | Na*r?# a <. . *- * | :-p ? oanpnaiaaiaiiBaaia t Wn\A/ AAnrh i a-v^ ? ? > * iv/^>a One of the most common New Year's resolution we tend to make (and break)?after overspending each Christmas?is to spend more wisely, save more, invest more money in the coming year. A great resolution, but not always an easy one to keep, especially without good overall financial planning. A Jan. 19 workshop sponsored by the Brunswick County Council on the Status of Women will focus on just that: financial planning, with a special look at the needs of women. Tickets are just $3.50 and include a luncheon. The speaker, from Savannah, Ga., is an account executive with Merrill Lynch and knows the stuff of which she speaks. It's a great opportunity for some good advice. Bui a good friend o* mind suggests that before attending such a workshop, you need to do some advance research, some homework. Sue Avery Douglas, a Morganton native, manages the State Employees Credit Union office in Raleigh. In her tinancia! planning workshops, she tells women that first they need to assess how much they know about their families' current assets and liabilities. She gives a quick quiz; usually the |8S< v#.. > - .. imi? V :.- -Vy5VVii;S*.fcM ? : ; \" ; . vr:?;.; v?. ' \ 'r.\ ' '1* . ,',V Apprecia Mast of us ure familiar with some of the rhythms of life?like the seasons, life cycles of plants and animals, and the phases of the moon. We watch spring come and daffodils bloom and (trass begin to grow and we are reminded that life "begins" or "awakens" again. Or we gather thoughts of autumn as the time of year when life "ends" or "rests" again. Seldom do we think of the dayto-day processes happening all around us that also depend upon the rhythms of life. Our life processes themselves are dependent upon rhythms our ! Opening ' While clipping articles for the > newsroom file recently, 1 got a se> cond look at some old stones that seemed nght for printing at the time It's strange what one can find when ' they go twek and read arucies trom a f .t.- ... .... i Aunougn ii s our joos. li s not . always easy (or reporters to remove themselves (rom their stones, to ex^ press themselves in a clear and core vlSx isMmiri im tin a?rta(cr tra'irr i"he ? hole idea in writing an article , is to wTite as though a complete a strspger who 'yd lust stumhled into 5 town (or the first time ?*s readme | The Brunswick Beacon's account of a H news event That much I learned j (rom journalism school From reading the article, would I the average reader understand the 1 news event" Would they gather the | gist <4 the event Just from reading the lead paragraph' Those are questions . the professors ?e?>e?led. and repeated, hundreds of times My news editor and 1 usually do a 2 givo joo ? prw* reacting cop) ana | nwlung sure the average reader understands the stones here it Do You KnovA results quickly indicate just how lit- 3 tie we really know, how poor our [ budgeting procedures are. In light ot me upcoming workshop | here, I thought it would be helpful to < pass Sue's questionnaire along. So 1 here goes. 1 See how well you fare on this inven- 1 tory: 1 1. Who carries your car(s) insurance? Do you have collision and 1 comprehensive coverage? What are i your limits of liability? Is there a i deductible amount? How much? What is the premium and when is it i due? 2. Who carries insurance on your ' boat, trailer, truck, recreational vehicle, camper? Do you know the items in i>u. 3 or. these vehicles? 3. Who carries you. homeowners/tenant insurance? Howmuch coverage do you have? Is there a deductible? How much is the premium and when is it due? Do you ?wMkw till miifi- :&&? t \ V \ 1 0:M (iiar < $& ?&>, 4 g&'.KjfL r * -j* v r : V ----..v?* L* VTECHHIC ^.COLLEC te importance L, \ Ri!! W Faver breathing, our heartbeat, the processes of digestion, our eyesight, hearing, speech, sense of touch, rhythms of sexual fertility and reproduction. We share most of these rhythms with all anunals. More and more evidence is inParagraphs sr ,w '="* Brunswick County. However, sometimes it just doesn't work well, no matter now pert en u sounas in the beginning Sometimes I can be (ound mumbling in the newsroom whiie vwuuig u lead paragraph out loud to nr.) It s my little way of sounding out or finrtme a sentence that works One artk-le from a Jan. II. 19M. issue of The Beacon shows what happens when it just doesn't work "Following a second public hearing last Wednesday night or. his request, the board of adjustments unanimously agreed to allow Duncan McGoogan of Red Springs to rekcate hts house." the lead paragraph staled That sentence tells the reader who, what and when, but i! doesn't quite i About You! lave mortgage life protection? With vhom? Who is covered? 4. Do you have major medical ii> iurance? With whom? Who is overed? Is there a deductible? How nueh is the premium and when is it lue? 5. Do you have disability in urance, accident insurance, dental nsurance or cancer insurance? Do ,'ou know the items in No. 4 on these jolicies? 6. Can you list your life insurance jolicies and show who is covered by :ach, what company carries each jolicy, the amount of each policy, whether each policy is term or wholelife and who is the beneficiary of sach? 7. Who's name(s) are your vehicle) s) registered in? Wnai are iheir makes and models? Where are the Lilies? 9. Who's namefs) is your house and property in? Where is the deed? 9. Do you and/or your husband have checking accounts? Who's names are they in? Wliat are the service charge policies? If joint, what happens if one of you die? 10. Do you and/or your husband have savings acnunts? Who's names are they in? What is the into earned and how is it compounded and paid? If joint, what happens if one of you 50* jmsm. w icjsK mM 3 Of Rhythm dicating we also tuive rhythms o( though*, and creativity which affect our energy and productivity. Man has the unique ability among animal life iuriiLs to recognize and use rhythms to his own advantage. He can go beyond the natural instincts for survival found in most of the animal rhythms. Hal Borland, in The e nduring Pattern, warns us, Man has done some remarkable things, but he lias never escaped his link with the basic rhythms. He never will. What he has accomplished has been within the Tell The W explain where or why. There arc several facts stuffed into that sentence, which would probably leave the reader feeling the same way?stuffed Tiie headline, "Holden Beach Homeowner Allowed To inuve House," told the "where" part of the story, and cne can guess that since it was a second public hearing the move was a bit controversial. But that's not what the lead paragraph staled I've even had visions from time tc tune ix starting work on "that grea! novei" that remains bidder somewhere behind an opening naraeraoh There mav be hope sinc< it an annual "Wnrvf Qp?tiinr Sentence" contest conducted by tlx English Department at San Jos Stale University in California According to the 19S5 "01( r armor's Almanac." more than 4,00 entries were received this year fron places like Thailand. Kenya, an Saudi Arabia However, the first- an second-place winners were fron Pensacola. Ela . and Houston. Texas The winning opening sentence read. "The lovely w omar-child Ka I * - Finances? I 11. Do you and/or your husband have a will(s)? Where is it? Who has a copy? When is it dated? 12. How many types of retirement pians do you and/or your husband have? When can either of you retire? Can you Deneni trom ms piari or viceversa? How much do you liave in Social Security? 13. Have you ever borrowed money? In your own name? With your husband? 14. Do you use any charge cards or charge accounts? In your own name? In your husband's name? Are you responsible for the bills on accounts in his name only but which you use? 15. Does the local credit bureau have a file on you? 16. Who do you have your house financed with? How much is the interest rate? How much are the payments and when are they due? Are taxes and insurance premiums included? 17. Who financed your car(s)? Hnw innrh arp thp navmpnts and when are they due? Do you have credit life insurance on this loan? On whom? 18. If something happened to your husband today, do you know how to f:rH or where to finci the answer to every one of these questions? m>P > - ' \F', <**; ?' . - .. A -'.v. 1 V* ' / ; I ' r' ' ' ' > > ' v/y , >' . ' v ' .tV-.'. M v- -T? ^ < J s m ? i - j s Of Life framework of those natural laws, and lus primary achievements have been in the study and use of those laws. And he still must live ill the environment to which he was born?this planet, this earth. When we watch the waves washing the sandy shore at high tide by the Ul VI JV itill IIIVAIII nC Villa Up preciate the importance of rhythms in our natural world. We can also appreciate the value of the unseen rhythms that are at work in our lives to Keep us healthy, creative, and products? as a fellow inhabitant with all life sharing the earth with us hole Story was mercilessly chained to the cruel post of the warnor-chief Beast, with his barbarian tribe now stacking wood at her feet, when the strong, clear voice of the poetic and heroic llandsomas roared, 'Flick your Bic. crisp umii uuis, aifiu yw n irei nsy steel through your last meal.' " For that, Steve Gorman of Pensacola was awarded a word processor. Joan Gilliam of Houston i received a so-volume set ot tne worxs ut Su Dunaiu Buiwet-t-yriuifl. a i minor Victorian novelist, for her 1 second-place opening sentence i It read, "1 had left the barbecue , V|CUUT ilUtltCUl) NIUI 3ACU.li; UHCV > tions to the ladies' room 'out back.' 1 and now faced a black cow ?earn* one red earring standing beneath an ; ill windmill, fadeless and bent from years at prev ailing winds, as she wat1 ched me with bovine detachment, my ) heels sunk arch-deep into the i mire . I hate the country 1 Entries were judged on anticlimax, i wordiness, misplaced modifiers, 3 overfcJown triteness, ana parody, the l almanac said e West coast folks just don't know a good English when they see it 4